Resignation of Bien

Hotdogs, Cafe, and a Seven-Year-Old Nostalgia

It had been three days since the meeting, and the new Program Director was already settling in. Meanwhile, Bien ended his show with a punchline and played upbeat music that wasn't in the playlist. He wasn't supposed to, but he did it anyway. It helped keep his mind off things.

Joanna's head popped through the ajar door. She was all smiles and energy, as usual. Quite frankly, Bien wasn't up for it, but he had to keep a straight face.

"Are you busy?" Joanna asked.

It was obvious that he wasn't—he had just ended the show. Bien shook his head and asked why.

"Mr. Boy wants banners for Gimme Sticker across the street, and I thought, who could do this task better than my good friend?"

"My work hours just ended," Bien said, faking a smile, trying to make it sound like their normal banter.

Joanna pushed the door open and wrapped her arms around Bien. As she dragged him downstairs, she said, "Let's go! We'll eat after my work hours. My treat."

Joanna stood behind Bien during the editing process, making suggestions that perfectly complemented Bien's artwork. They had an effortless flow, as though their imaginations were directly linked.

They spent the whole afternoon designing three different banner sizes. Joanna printed them on paper and took them to the boss' office. She disappeared for quite a while as Bien sat in his swiveling chair, scrolling through his phone. It beeped. A message from Matthew popped up just as he heard laughter from inside the office.

PST BIEN!

Bien's eyebrow twitched. How hard was it to simply type what you want to ask or say? He ignored the message. The door opened, and Joanna back-walked out, still laughing.

"You did a great job!" Mr. Boy called from inside.

Joanna thanked the boss ardently as she gently shut the door. She skipped towards her desk and smiled at Bien. "Mr. Boy loved it!" she said, packing her things as her hours came to an end.

Why wouldn't he? Bien always did his best with his work. He never half-assed anything. He made sure he put his heart and soul into everything he did. Plus, working with Joanna made things easy.

A nearby convenience store was always their go-to for a snack or two or to simply hang out. Their luxury? Hotdogs.

"So, what's new?" Joanna asked as she got a hotdog for Bien and two for herself. Bien was quiet, so Joanna spoke again. "Don't think I don't notice your silence."

Joanna went to the cashier to pay for the hotdogs. Then she turned to Bien. "I don't have my wallet with me. Can I use your money?"

Before Bien could answer, Joanna was already reaching in and grabbing the amount they needed.

"I'll pay you tomorrow," she said.

"Do I have a choice?"

"No, you don't."

They laughed. Bien didn't mind. She had been doing that for a long time and almost always paid the next day. Sometimes it took weeks or a month, but it wasn't as though she was borrowing large amounts.

As they added mustard and ketchup to their hotdogs, Joanna began asking again after complaining about a co-worker's stupidity.

"It's kinda disappointing, really," Bien said. "After all I did, the boss wouldn't even recognize me."